AHIMA Preview

Connect With the Health Information Community at AHIMA19

By Heather Hogstrom

During September 14–18, AHIMA will welcome attendees to its hometown of Chicago for the AHIMA19: Health Data and Information Conference (formerly known as the AHIMA Convention and Exhibit).

AHIMA19 conference topics include career development, clinical documentation improvement, coding, continuum of care, disruption in health care, HIM case studies, innovation, leadership, performance improvement, physician practice, privacy and security, quality measure, revenue cycle, and third-party audits.

The general session theater will feature presentations by Carey Lohrenz, the first female F-14 Tomcat fighter pilot in the US Navy; Patrice A. Harris, MD, MA, and David O. Barbe, MD, MHA, the current and past presidents of the American Medical Association, respectively; and John Quinones, the creator and host of What Would You Do?

Alternatively, attendees can head to the Innovation Theater in the exhibit hall for general sessions by Alexandra Mugge, deputy chief health informatics officer at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and Doug Lindsay, a speaker on patient advocacy and problem solving.

New this year is a Pitch Competition, which promotes innovative solutions to improve health care. Attendees can check out the finalists in the exhibit hall’s Pitch Arena, where a panel of judges will size them up on Monday afternoon.

There are five educational site visits planned throughout AHIMA19 for attendees interested in spending some time outside the conference center. Participants can gain insights into the HIM departments at Rush University Medical Center, Cermak Health of Cook County Jail, University of Chicago Medicine, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital, or the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab.

Preconference meetings include the Clinical Coding Meeting, which will cover coding updates and allow attendees to select a specific topic to discuss at their lunch table; the Privacy and Security Institute, which will help attendees learn best practices for compliance in a continually changing environment; and VUCA and the Voices of Leadership, which will train attendees to manage volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity in various situations.

This year’s Appreciation Celebration theme is a “Totally Awesome ‘80s Game Night,” during which attendees can flaunt their favorite ‘80s fashion, from big hair to bold colors.

A conference app is available for download. Social media users can use the hashtag #AHIMA19.

For more information, visit www.ahima.org/conference.

— Heather Hogstrom is an editorial assistant at For The Record, which will be exhibiting at booth 507.